Internet use and online behaviour of adults with intellectual disability: support workers’ perceptions, training and online risk mediation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine support workers’ perceptions of the benefits and risks of Internet access by adult service users with intellectual disability and their online activities and behaviours. It also aimed to explore support workers’ training needs and mediation strategies implemented to prevent and address online risks. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted including 135 Spanish support workers participating in the study. Findings show that support workers perceive the Internet as an unsafe environment, emphasising online risks over benefits for people with intellectual disability. Support workers reported undesirable online behaviours (e.g. cyberbullying) experienced and engaged in by service users. Although support workers declared the use of active mediation strategies to prevent online risks, they lacked training on Internet safety. Training programs should be designed and implemented by service providers to provide their support workers with strategies to promote the safe use of the Internet.

Points of interest

• People with intellectual disabilities' access to the Internet is increasing, and while this has brought about many opportunities for them, it has also raised some concerns among family and support workers.

• This article discusses Internet-related issues experienced by adults with intellectual disability from the perspective of their support workers.

• According to support workers, the Internet is more risky than beneficial for adults with intellectual disability and they report some undesirable online behaviours experienced and/or perpetrated by their service users (e.g. cyberbullying, online threatening, requesting personal information).

• In addition, support workers report a lack of training on Internet safety and a limited use of strategies that help to prevent and address online risks.

• The perceptions of risk may result in overprotection. More training programs should be implemented to promote the meaningful but safe use of the Internet by adults with intellectual disability.

Keywords:

• Intellectual disability
• Internet
• support workers
• training
• mediation

Acknowledgements

Researchers would like to thank Plena Inclusión Comunidad Valenciana and participants for their generous contribution to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 A complete statistical report can be requested by contacting the corresponding author of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Conselleria d'Educació, Investigació, Cultura i Esport, Generalitat Valenciana, Spain, under Grant No GV/2017/006.